By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter
The price of using Nottingham’s tram network will rise again from the beginning of April.
Nottingham Express Transit (NET), the network’s operator, will introduce an increase to the majority of its fares from Monday, April 3.
The price rise will apply to most tickets, including the adult single and day tickets, along with the annual pass.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has been told the annual pass will now come in at £630, rising from £585.
Adult single tickets will rise from £2.80 to £3, a 20p increase, and the adult day ticket will rise from £4.70 to £5, an increase of 30p.
The majority of fares will rise, with the exception of the short hop ticket, which will remain at £1.50, the group ticket which will stay at £8 for off-peak and £12 during peak times, and the concessionary day fare which will remain at £3.50.
Tramlink, an investment partner of the network, previously said there had been an increase in footfall in the past few months, however it is still dealing with changes in behaviours as a result of the Covid pandemic.
At a Nottingham City Council tram meeting at Loxley House on March 14, concerns were raised an increase to ticket prices may “erect another barrier” to getting people back on the tram.
But Andrew Conroy, the chief operating officer for Tramlink, said electricity costs had soared by as much as 700 per cent amid the cost of living crisis.
“Our costs have gone up by nearly 11 per cent, so that’s happening. Our electricity costs have gone up by nearly 200 per cent,” he said.
“Second to that at one point it was nearly 700 per cent. So it is very, very difficult.”
Tim Hesketh, the chief executive of Tramlink, added: “The tram is a low-carbon public transport option for thousands of people living, working and studying in and around Nottingham, which is also helping the city work towards its 2028 carbon neutral goal.
“To continue this essential service and maintain the network for the benefit of the city and its visitors, we are having to make increases across a selection of our ticket types.
“This is a necessary move to ensure we can continue to operate a convenient and reliable service throughout the city, especially during peak travel times, while reacting to the current economic landscape including abnormally high inflation and rising energy costs.
“We usually review ticket prices at the start of the year and we have delayed making this decision for as long as possible.
“This is a hard decision that other transport operators may also have to take, especially those who, alongside us, do not receive subsidies from the government.
“That said, we appreciate the impact this has on our customers. We have worked to keep as many fares as possible at the same rate.
“These include the short hop ticket price, so that passengers are able to continue to use the trams for shorter journeys at a lower cost to help them get around our beloved Nottingham.”
